These Are the Best Beard Oils for Itchy Beards

The perils of growing a beard are plentiful. Choose one from among the following selection of the best beard oils and you can avoid perils that include: beard itch; dry skin under the beard; brittle facial hair; wiry frizz; oh, and scratching up the face of anyone who ventures near.

And so, the benefit of beard oil is that it combats and prevents such perils. Beard oils are often a blend of numerous oils, like jojoba and argan and almond, and they do things like: soften beard bristles to prevent itchiness and scratchiness on you and your crush; relax the hairs, preventing flyaways and paving the way for a proper beard style; hydration and easy application for the skin underneath your facial hairs; and, sometimes, the bonus of a nice, subtle scent.

There are tons of beard oils on the market these days, and these are the eight we love the most. They’ll deliver on the promises above (fragrance optional), so that you can overcome the perils of beard growing and fully enjoy the benefits.

Brothers Artisan Oil grooming oil

Jojoba, grapeseed, and argan are the anchors of Brothers Artisan Oil’s namesake product, tackling beard itch, flaking, and inflammation. This small-batch oil was so successful that it launched the brand into a full-blown grooming authority. Rosewood and cedarwood is their most man-ified scent, but we suggest the fresh and spirited sage-mint blend.

V76 by Vaughn beard oil

Size, sillage, and absorbency are V76’s strengths. Its oil is double the size of most competing products (2 oz. vs 1, and at $19 it’s the best deal of the lot), its blue cedar scent lingers long and soothes the senses, and lastly, it soaks into your skin and facial hair quickly, so that it doesn’t weigh you down, despite its hefty bottle size and staying power.

Beardbrand “Four Vices” beard oil

A scented blend of coffee, tobacco, hemp, and hops, these “four vices” combine into one very perfect earthy-floral finish. The oil itself is a blend of jojoba, castor, and grapeseed, and Beardbrand prides itself for the eye-catching shine that its oil delivers to your beard. It’s still lightweight, though, and the product soaks happily into your mane as you showcase its luster.

Jack Black “MP10” beard, face, and hair oil

The most utilitarian product of the pack, Jack Black’s beard oil combines 10 natural oils for a skin-, hair- and beard-friendly product. It’s the silkiest oil here, and the one I burn through the fastest since it gets mileage on my entire head. It’s also one of the least shiny of the bunch, if you aren’t chasing a glow. But don’t be discouraged by the fact that you might addictively go through it faster than the rest: Like V76, it’s also double the size of most the competition (2 oz. instead of 1), so it’s one of the best bargains, too.

Proraso hot oil beard treatment

This one is nontraditional by comparison to the rest, but it might be the most traditional from the barbershop vantage: A hot oil treatment is like a mega nourisher for your beard, and a soothing experience at the same time. It’s like a face mask, except for your beard; you wear it for 15-20 minutes after warming the skin and whiskers, then rinse to instantly softer scruff. Proraso’s product helps open the pores and extract the natural oils in your skin, working in tandem with those oils to give you this once-weekly boost.

Cartier “Pasha de Cartier Édition Noire” beard oil

This top-shelf, black-label oil takes Cartier’s widely adored Pasha scent and turns it into a beard-softening, skin-soothing agent. It’s a citrus, amber, woody blend, and the most alluring and inviting of this roster. Put a drop in your hair product and onto your neck’s pulse point, too, to magnify the Pasha powers.

Acqua di Parma beard serum

Great for big, bushy beards, this beard oil serum soaks quickly into the hairs and softens them, priming everything for a detangling. Take a beard comb and wade through the beast, while you further distribute the sweet almond and grapeseed oils that give this lightweight potion its potency.